In the night, a cold wind blew, causing the red lotuses in the pond to sway, resembling a sea of undulating fire—a truly beautiful sight.
Xu Qi An silently took a deep breath, inhaling the subtle fragrance.
“Yunzhou is mountainous, but unlike the Southern Borderlands, it’s not covered in dense forests and miasma. The mountains are rich in medicinal herbs and other resources,” the Ziyangju Scholar gazed at the pond full of red lotuses and continued:
“Yunzhou also has fertile farmland and abundant water. Although its annual grain production doesn’t match Yuzhou and Zhangzhou, the two regions are known as Da Feng’s granaries, Yunzhou’s annual grain output is more than enough to feed the people of both provinces.”
…It sounds like Yunzhou should have a hilly terrain, Xu Qi An nodded in realization.
Among the five basic terrestrial landforms, hills are the most fertile and resource-rich. In his previous life, the so-called “land of fish and rice” referred to the hilly regions of Jiangnan.
Yuzhou and Zhangzhou, Da Feng’s two granaries, were plains, while the Southern Borderlands had a mountainous terrain with high peaks everywhere and little arable land.
The Ziyangju Scholar continued in a deep voice, “Yunzhou has another geographical advantage: it’s right next to the South Sea, so there’s no need to worry about being attacked from both front and rear. As a last resort, one could even set sail.”
“The friction between the Witch God Cult and Da Feng along the border is intensifying. If they want to create internal chaos to keep Da Feng preoccupied, choosing Yunzhou would be a wise move.”
The way you put it, why do I feel like this trip to Yunzhou is a journey of annihilation? Tut, tut, tut, children’s words are harmless, children’s words are harmless…
“Don’t worry,” as if seeing through Xu Qi An’s concerns, the Ziyangju Scholar smiled and said, “Although Da Feng has serious problems, it’s still relatively peaceful overall, and the court’s authority remains intact.”
“Even if the Witch God Cult is plotting in Yunzhou, they would only dare to hide in the shadows, not act openly. I’ve been idle these days and have trained a few hawks. I’ll send you one later. If any unexpected situations arise in Yunzhou, you can use the hawk to send messages. It’s faster than using the official post roads.”
No matter how fast, it would still take quite a few days for a round trip… Indeed, a world without mobile phones lacks a sense of security. If only everyone had a piece of the Earth Book… Xu Qi An gratefully said, “Thank you for your kindness, Teacher.”
After a pause, he asked, “What should I do when I get to Yunzhou?”
“Just focus on investigating the case and protect Zhang Xingying well. As for socializing in official circles, you don’t need to worry about that,” the Ziyangju Scholar said with a smile.
“Since Wei Yuan appointed Zhang Xingying as the Inspector-General, he must not be an ordinary person.”
Xu Qi An nodded.
Having finished discussing official matters, the Ziyangju Scholar pondered for a moment and said, “I often exchange letters with Jingyan, and he frequently mentions you in his letters. You’re considered half a student of the Yunlu Academy… I heard that a few months ago, there was a surge of pure energy at the academy?”
Who’s Jingyan? Oh, oh, it’s Second Young Master’s teacher, the great scholar Zhang Shen… Because he wasn’t used to addressing people by their courtesy names, it took Xu Qi An a few seconds to realize who “Jingyan” referred to.
What does the Ziyangju Scholar mean by this… Did the Yunlu Academy not tell him the truth? Or does he know I did it, and is saying this to give me a hint? But there’s no need for hints… Is it because correspondence can’t be kept confidential, so the great scholars of the Yunlu Academy only mentioned it in their letters without revealing the truth?
He carefully said, “This matter seems to have been classified as top secret by the academy. The Yasheng School is still sealed off, and no one is allowed to enter.”
At this point, Xu Qi An couldn’t help but think of the Yasheng who had called a deer a horse—truly a great man, for he always stood behind his wife.
The Ziyangju Scholar nodded slightly, without further questions.
Xu Qi An, on the other hand, had some questions he wanted to ask this great scholar. After some thought, he decided to ask the first question:
“Teacher, some time ago, because of the Sangbo case, I challenged the Night Reading and looked through historical records. I found that before our faction’s Prime Minister destroyed Buddhism, he shouted the slogan ‘If Buddhism is not destroyed, all under heaven will be Buddhist.'”
“After that, that Prime Minister advanced to the Establishing Fate realm. I wonder, even if Buddhism had various drawbacks, it was still an orthodox school. Isn’t ‘If Buddhism is not destroyed, all under heaven will be Buddhist’ too extreme?”
Xu Qi An didn’t know how the Buddhist schools in this world differed from those in his previous life. This world had no Buddha, only a Buddha.
But regardless, Buddhism shouldn’t be considered a cult, right?
“This matter involves secrets that I don’t know about,” the Ziyangju Scholar said.
If you don’t know, then how do you know it involves secrets? Xu Qi An forcibly held back this retort.
The Ziyangju Scholar let out a “hm” and said, “The Academy Chancellor knows.”
Xu Qi An’s second question was why there were stone statues of Confucian sages in the Extreme Abyss of the Southern Borderlands, but he decided against asking it.
Xu Qi An, being in the capital, shouldn’t know about the Confucian sage statues at the bottom of the Extreme Abyss. Even using the excuse of “I have a friend” wouldn’t work.
Even the Night Watchmen’s Office wouldn’t know about this.
…
Back at the courier station, Xu Qi An took a cold bath, then returned to his room to sit cross-legged, practicing breathing exercises and visualizing the Dharma image.
Qingzhou borders Yunzhou. Setting out from here, riding hard, one could reach Yunzhou in three to five days. Even considering Inspector-General Zhang’s weak constitution, they should reach the Qingzhou border in about a week.
“I can use this time to try and break through to the Spirit Refining realm. It’s just not sleeping for ten days, right? Back when I was still an ordinary person, I achieved the feat of gaming for 72 hours straight in an internet cafe…”
The next day, Provincial Administration Commissioner Yang Gong gathered stonemasons to engrave the four lines of poetry warning officials on the warning steles in front of various government offices in Qingzhou.
From the Qingzhou Prefect down to ordinary clerks, everyone entering and leaving the offices could see these four lines of poetry every day.
“What’s written up there?”
“You eat your salary, the people’s fat and marrow. The common people are easy to oppress, but Heaven is hard to deceive.”
“Good poem! I’m illiterate, but I can only say: Damn, it’s well-written. Must be by our Provincial Administration Commissioner, right? He’s truly an upright official.”
“It’s not by the Provincial Administration Commissioner, but by someone called Xu Qi An. Oh, there’s a small text on the side: Master Yang Gong. Oh, I see, it’s a student of our Provincial Administration Commissioner.”
The poem was indeed composed by Xu Qi An, but the Ziyangju Scholar had a clever move: he had three small characters engraved to the left of Xu Qi An’s name: “Master Yang Gong.”
If the three great scholars of the Yunlu Academy were present, they would be spitting blood and roaring: Shameless old thief, how can you piggyback on this too?
Many upright officials were thrilled by this poem, taking note of Xu Qi An.
Xu Qi An’s name quickly spread through Qingzhou’s official circles. Soon, many students and officials suddenly realized that the person who had composed the poem for the stele inscription was the same great talent who had written those poems hailed as the light of Da Feng’s literary world for the past two hundred years.
What astounded people most was that he wasn’t a scholar, but a night watchman.
However, whether Qingzhou officials or students, they were all genuinely impressed by Xu Qi An, admiring his poetic talent and even more so the spirit expressed in his poems.
When the courtesans of the entertainment districts learned of this news, excitement, and enthusiasm filled their hearts. They all wished they could burn incense and pray to Buddha, hoping that the great talent Master Xu would favor them and leave a verse or two.
They would be willing to pursue him without any expectations of return.
…
Outside Qingzhou City.
The Ziyangju Scholar, accompanied by Qingzhou’s high officials, personally saw off the Inspector-General’s team as they left the city.
“With this parting, who knows when we’ll meet again. Take care, Teacher,” Xu Qi An bowed as a disciple.
The Ziyangju Scholar nodded slightly, feeling somewhat emotional. He had just accepted a student, and before the warmth could settle in his heart, the student had to leave.
“On this journey to Yunzhou, focus on the investigation. Always remember to serve the court and work for the people of the realm,” Yang Gong said solemnly.
For the people of the realm… Xu Qi An silently repeated in his heart.
…
Several days later, at a courier station on the border of Qingzhou.
At two in the morning, after finishing his breathing exercises and visualization, Xu Qi An, who hadn’t slept for seven days, picked up a candle and walked out of his room.
The night was deep, and the courier station was quiet. He followed the corridor to its end, then down the stairs.
At the counter in the main hall, an oil lamp burned silently. The courier station attendant was fast asleep at the desk, a glistening liquid dripping from the corner of his mouth.
Official courier stations operated 24 hours a day, as some officials might travel through the night on urgent business and could arrive at any time.
Knock, knock…
Xu Qi An gently tapped the counter twice, producing a muffled sound.
The attendant awoke with a start, wiping his mouth as he stood up. “Sir, what can I do for you?”
“Give me some envelopes and writing paper. I need to write some letters,” Xu Qi An requested.
The attendant immediately pulled out a sheet of writing paper and an envelope from the drawer. Xu Qi An shook his head. “Not enough.”
“How many do you need?”
“Seven envelopes, and as much writing paper as possible.”
The attendant had never seen someone write seven letters at once. He muttered something inaudibly but obediently handed over seven envelopes and sheets of paper.
Taking the envelopes and paper, Xu Qi An turned and went back upstairs to his room.
He laid out the envelopes on the desk, took out red lotus petals from his jade mirror, placed five petals on five of the envelopes, then spread out the paper, weighed it down with a paperweight, and ground ink to write his letters.
The first letter.
“Princess Huaiqing:
As I write this letter, I have reached the border of Qingzhou and am about to enter Yunzhou. When leaving the capital, I had hoped to discuss matters with Your Highness and hear your esteemed opinions.
Little did I expect that this humble official had somehow offended Your Highness, causing you to be so cruel as to refuse to see me.
Passing through Yuzhou, this humble official uncovered a case of corruption… From this case, it’s evident that the Witch God Cult has long been infiltrating the court, secretly cultivating many spies. As they say, a thousand-mile dike can be breached by an ant hole; we must be vigilant. I hope Your Highness can advise His Majesty to govern diligently and revitalize the court.
By the way, Qingzhou has a flower called the red lotus, which blooms in the depths of winter. The character of the red lotus—emerging unstained from the mud, rinsed in clear ripples without becoming bewitching, upright within and without, not trailing or branching, its fragrance growing purer with distance, standing tall and clean—can be admired from afar but should not be trifled with.
This reminds me of Your Highness. I apologize, as I know these words are greatly disrespectful to Your Highness. However, Your Highness’s unparalleled grace is truly a once-in-a-lifetime sight for this humble official. You are like the red lotus, emerging unstained from the mud, rinsed in clear ripples without becoming bewitching.
This humble official has picked a petal of the lotus and enclosed it with this letter, as a small token of my sentiments.”
The second letter.
“Princess Lin’an:
As the long night stretches on, sleep eludes me. Your image and laughter seem to appear before my eyes and resound in my ears. Half a month apart, and I miss you dearly.
The journey to Yunzhou is far from lonely. Many interesting and bizarre events have occurred along the way. It turns out there are water ghosts in the canals. On the way, a Tiger Warrior went up on deck one night and suddenly heard his deceased mother calling. As if possessed, he leaped into the water.
The water ghost gripped his ankle tightly, attempting to drag him to the bottom of the river. Fortunately, this humble official noticed in time and, without regard for personal safety, jumped into the river. After three hundred rounds of fierce battle with the water ghost, causing turbulent waves, I finally rescued the poor Tiger Warrior.
On the way from Qingzhou to Yunzhou, we passed a village where a strange incident had occurred. The corpse of a certain household’s daughter-in-law had transformed after death, wandering around the room day and night, growing sharp white teeth and blue-black nails, biting anyone she saw…
Luckily, this humble official was passing by and immediately discerned that the woman’s corpse transformation must have a cause. After a thorough investigation, the truth came to light. It turned out that the husband had been having an affair with a widow at the village entrance and wanted to divorce his wife to marry another woman. When his wife refused, he cruelly murdered her.
The wife died with resentment, her soul unable to rest, leading to the corpse transformation.
By the way, Qingzhou has a flower called the red lotus, as alluring as fire, which always reminds this humble official of Your Highness’s matchless grace when wearing a red dress.
It’s just like the princess, so bi… (crossed out) It’s as bright and graceful as the wind, as light and swift as an arrow. When a breeze blows, it shyly lowers its head, and a phrase naturally comes to my mind: The gentleness of that lowered head is most touching, like a water lotus flower’s coy shyness in the cool breeze.
This humble official has been presumptuous and means no offense to the princess. It’s just that the princess’s beauty is truly unparalleled in this humble official’s lifetime.”
The third letter.
“Miss Caiwei:
A day apart feels like three autumns; by my count, it’s been half a month since we last met. How is the chicken essence refinement going? Have you successfully advanced to become an alchemist?
Yuzhou has a delicacy called yellow sprout vegetables with ham. Ham is a specialty of the south, rarely found in the north.
The recipe is quite simple. Slice off the outer skin of good ham, removing the fat and keeping the meat. First, simmer the skin in chicken broth until tender, then simmer the meat until soft. Add the heart of the yellow sprout vegetables, cut into sections about two inches long with the roots. Add honey, fermented rice, and water, then simmer for half a day. The taste is sweet and fresh, with the meat and vegetables melting in the mouth, yet the vegetable roots and hearts remain intact. The soup is also exquisite.
Qingzhou has several delicacies, allow me to describe them one by one…
By the way, Qingzhou has a flower called the red lotus. This flower is bright and lively, blooming in the wind and swaying with it, like a series of bright smiling faces. It inevitably reminds me of you, Miss Caiwei.
You are just such a carefree (crossed out) You are just such a girl who brings joy to others, carefree and innocent, with a pair of clear, bright eyes that make one forget worldly concerns.”
The fourth letter.
“Miss Fuxiang:
“It’s been half a month since we last met, and I miss you dearly. I miss your laughter, your coat, the white fabric you wear, and the scent that lingers around you.
“It’s been half a month since we last met, and I miss you. As I write this, I have reached the border of Qingzhou and will arrive in Yunzhou tomorrow. Along the way, my colleagues invited me to the pleasure quarters, but I declined. Without you, those places feel so dull.
“I can’t help but remember the times we spent together, wrapped in each other’s warmth. When our feelings ran deep, I whispered in your ear, ‘Isn’t it exhilarating?’ You shyly nodded in response. Those were truly beautiful moments for us.
“The journey to Yunzhou is more exhausting than I imagined, and our reunion feels far away. I know you must be missing me like crazy. When the longing becomes unbearable, please remember to take care of your nails.
“By the way, there’s a flower in Qingzhou called Honglian. It blooms brightly like fire, much like your passionate spirit, making it hard for anyone to forget.”
Xu Qi An finished writing the letter to his beloveds, drying the ink as he gazed at the scribbled, corrected paper with a sigh of resignation. Handwriting can be messy; mistakes happen, and sometimes things come out that shouldn’t be written. He had made such errors when writing essays in his youth.
But it didn’t matter; these were women who knew him well and wouldn’t mind his poor penmanship. He was quite satisfied with the content, tailoring his letters to suit each recipient’s personality. For example, he wrote about current affairs for Huaiqing, stories for Lin’an, and food for Chu Caiwei, who was a foodie. As for Fu Xiang, after all their escapades, writing to her felt more like flirting, which was more than enough.
Next came the letter to his family, which Xu Qi An saved for last, carefully considering his words before dipping his brush into the ink.
Fifth Letter.
“Dear Sister Lingyue,
“I’m doing well out here, but I miss you a little. I’ve never been away from you for more than three days since childhood. Of course, I’ve never been away from Second Uncle and Aunt either.
“Are you adjusting to life in the inner city? The prices there are high, unlike in the outer city, but don’t feel constrained. Go out more often, and visit the silk and jewelry shops.
“When I left, I left three hundred taels of silver with Aunt, enough for the family for a while. Since Elder Brother is away and Erlang is at the academy, remember to make your own decisions. Don’t just listen to that foolish mother of yours.
“If Aunt brings up the topic of you getting married again, just tell her to return my three hundred taels and the silks. Elder Brother doesn’t want to come home to find you engaged.
“By the way, there’s a flower in Qingzhou called Honglian, as graceful and refined as you, gentle and beautiful.”
Sixth Letter.
“Aunt,
“Please take good care of Lingyin. That’s all!”
Seventh Letter.
“Dear Second Uncle,
“I’m doing well. At the moment, I’ve just arrived at the border of Qingzhou. What will happen in Yunzhou remains unknown for now.
“Don’t worry; men must go through hardships. You and Father fought your way through the battlefield, after all.
“I’m currently working towards the Refinement Realm. I hope that by the time I return to the capital, you will have successfully advanced to the Refinement Realm too. It would be quite impressive for the Xu family to have two members at that level.
“Oh, and I just realized you can barely read. You haven’t forgotten to write to your son, have you? I always thought a father like you would naturally remember to check on his son, so I didn’t write to tell you we’ve moved… But never mind; it’s been half a month, so he should know where we’ve relocated by now.
“I hope I’m just being overly cautious.”
After finishing the letters, Xu Qi An carefully folded the papers, along with the petals of the Honglian flower, and placed them into their respective envelopes.